The Keyboard

[mxxivcz]

@joe_skinner

wonder if it would be possible to modify the hinges that are used at the moment to get more space for keyboard like this.

I was asking for that here: Not so thin laptop

I guess there’s a bigger chance to have it done as a community project.

[joe_skinner]

sadly the point on opening is a good one and I frequenty have my screen open past the 100 degree mark

[Par]

@BluishHumility

I’m a num-pad guy myself. I miss that being a more standard consideration for laptops, but I think those days are gone.

You could always grab something like this

Thank you. I will look for a wired version with all those keys and I should be good for now.

EDIT: Not finding a wired version. Anyone know of one?

[Alexander_Cook]

@vesicant

Echoing @rossic, @Walt_Leipold, @Firestar and others.

I’d love to see a 75% layout option:

Specifically, these features:

• Dedicated column for navigation keys (Home/End/PgUp/PgDn)
• No half-height arrow keys

This layout was very common on laptops 10-15 years ago. Nowadays, it’s hard to find. This is what’s keeping me from upgrading my 2011 laptop, and it’s the last thing stopping me from buying a Framework laptop at this time.

I’d happily shell out $100+ to have this as a keyboard option.

Just adding my support for this as well. I’d really like to see multiple top-cover designs come out in the future to allow users to choose what is important to them for keyboard layout.

[Mad_Alchemist]

I’ll jump on board with this idea, as well. Heccin miss my regular-height arrow keys. I can wait, though. Definitely more important to spread these machines across more of the planet, first.

[Usernames]

@vesicant

Specifically, these features:

• Dedicated column for navigation keys (Home/End/PgUp/PgDn)
• No half-height arrow keys

Yes 1000%!!!

If we have to have half hight arrow keys 3 things:

1. Curve the inner edges so you can feel and more easily press the key you want, current setup is just bad.

2. Keep the keys the same size as each other.

3. Make them 2/3s instead of 1/2 hight.

+1 the Fn lock light

A very similar size KB with a much better layout IMO

Edit: Made a mock-up or two

[Delage_Marc]

To prevent half-height up/down and to add pgUp pgDown, the pgUp / pgDown can be put on aroung the up key.

fujitsu e743 keyboard

[Vlad_Dracul]

Hello everyone, I made the diagram of what the Brazilian Portuguese keyboard can be for the laptop Framework, using as a reference any ISO keyboard from the Framework itself so that the keyboard fits perfectly in its place. I don’t know if this is where I post this to request this keyboard as I made a similar post 4 days ago and never got any response.

[Wade_Richards]

Hello Vlad. This thread started 1.5 years ago with a Framework employee writing about the design of the Framework keyboard, and since then it’s been mainly Framework customers (or fans) discussing what they like or don’t like in keyboards.

As far as I know, this is not an official support channel, so Framework may not necessarily respond.

You may get more of a response from Framework in the “Framework Support” forum, where there is already a topic requesting keyboard layouts: What keyboard options will be available? - #69 by joe_skinner .

Finally, you can always buy a blank keyboard an a label printer, and make a custom keyboard with any labels you want on it.

[CGE]

@Minty_Root

However I can’t help but to feel the keycaps just look wrong. Having the letters on the top left don’t look as pleasing visually like the centered ones from the Dell XPS, the Surface Laptop and the MacBook Pro.

As I didn’t see another response to this, and there is a reason for the position: I wanted to point out: your keyboard has an ISO layout, and in the ISO layout, primary group characters go on the left, and shifted characters go on top. It’s not clear to me whether there is an exception for keytops that have only a primary, shifted character shown, but the usual place for those would be in the top left, and that’s what the Framework keyboard and a number of other keyboards do.

[Usernames]

Cannot edit previous post but I wanted to put the mock-up I made with 2/3 arrow keys and a fn lock light.

[Iann_C]

Up and down keys are way to small.
You use those keys so often.
I am really desperat for full size keys
Like this e590 thinkpad

[Usernames]

I think Framework went to form over function with the keyboard and general design choices…

[Varg]

My apologies if it’s already been mentioned previously in this thread.

I’d really like to see a keyboard layout where the ‘Windows Key’ does not have the Windows Logo on it. Maybe even a replaceable cap version if possible, would be cool to be able to swap out the logo’s for which OS you use, whether it be Windows, Linux or even (If someone ever got it working) MacOS.

Also, could someone explain to me the difference between the ISO and ANSI Covers? I’d really like to understand the different option availble in the Marketplace

[nez]

The windows key is mandatory for them to be able to sell Windows copies at the price they do. I agree with you, and have watched threads about painting over it, which I might do eventually, but that’s where we are now.

The primary difference from what I saw is the shape of the Enter and Shift keys, and the minor keys on the right side of the keyboard.

[dosssman]

Greetings.

Sorry for necrobumping this thread, but I was wondering if there was any chance I could have some diagrams or schematics that detail the size of the key switches and as well as their receptacles.
I am currently prototyping a custom columnar staggered (semi-ortholinear) membrane keyboard to serve as a drop-in replacement for the factory default keyboard.

I am thinking of disassembling the membrane key switches of the factory keyboard and re-align them into a columnar staggered layout on a 3D printed receptacle platform.
I made a test with the thinnest and cheapest membrane keyboard I could find, and it seems doable so far.
As a next step, I would like to study the feasibility of designing 3D printable receptacles for the FW’s key switches, but I am a bit scared of messing with my current laptop as I daily drive it for work.
I thought of ordering an input cover to do some experiments and measurements, but I would greatly appreciate if someone could provide me with those measurements so that can get a better idea if it can work in advance.

EDIT: The awesome Framework Team has gracefully provided me with input covers for further experimentation. Currently working on disassembling the keyboard and re-arrange it into a custom layout.

Best regards.

[David_Eastham]

That’s a great project which also shows how hard it is to build a keyboard for today’s ultra thin laptops. As you suggest in your linked post, perhaps the ideal is to be found with the Cherry switch.

Is there a rationale behind the physical format you have chosen - perhaps it is an adaptation of your usual format to the laptop space constraints? I have previously asked if there are any people who would be interested in an Atreus for Framework. Personally, I still think the Atreus would be a better prospect because the format is already (by the standards of such things) widely used and the two sets of columns diverge towards the user to reduce wrist strain. Of course I happen to own one! Nonetheless I have not the wherewithal to actually make it happen and I wish you the best with your project.

[dosssman]

@David_Eastham Thanks a lot for the feedback.
Your Atreus post is actually in my references for this project.

The physical format is based on the Charybdis, which I daily drive and am more familiar with.

It is hard to see without the key caps being installed, but the keys are actually rotated 6 degrees inward, for a more comfortable position, similarly to the Atreus.

[nez]

I swapped out my keyboard, so have an extra one lying around. If you tell me how to go about measuring, I can give it a go.

[Peter_Wieser]

Maybe there’s already a post about this, but I really wish for a “standard” Windows keyboard where all cursor keys are the same size :
Since there are also a lot of Linux users, it would also make sense from my point of view to release a keyboard without a Windows logo, or with a Mac layout as an alternative.